Study on stem cells and immortality reveals unexpected findings
\”An exciting result of this research was that it definitively showed the critical protective element on chromosome end is the telomere loop DNA,\” said Associate Prof. Cesare.
This is likely to explain why the length of telomeres regulates ageing. Cells must have long enough telomeres in order to form DNA loops, and this becomes more difficult as cells age.
Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes. Telomeres are shortened in adult cells each time they divide, contributing to cancer and ageing. However, pluripotent stems cells are cells that have been specialized since the early stages of development. These pluripotent stem cells are immortal and can be transformed into any adult cell type.
Nature published a surprising discovery today that shows telomeres of pluripotent cells are protected in a very different way than telomeres of adult tissues.
This research has rewritten 20 years of thought on stem cell DNA protection, said Professor Tony Cesare from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health. He is the Head of the Genome Integrity Unit of Children’s Medical Research Institute and the co-leader of the research team who collaborated on the research.
Source:
https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2020/11/26/unexpected-discovery-about-stem-cell-immortality-study.html
